Sophie DunstoneAPS, AHPRA

Sophie Dunstone is a clinical psychologist with two decades of experience helping people manage mood and anxiety challenges. She works with people facing depression, stress, trauma, grief, eating concerns and perinatal mood problems. Sophie writes in a clear, direct way and focuses on practical steps people can use straight away.

She trained in Adelaide and holds a Masters in Psychology (Clinical). Since 2002 she has worked in public mental health services and private practice across Australia and overseas, including Sydney, London, Hong Kong and Singapore. That variety has given her a wide view of how different lives shape mental health.

Sophie draws on client-centred methods to make therapy collaborative. She also uses cognitive behavioural approaches, dialectical behaviour strategies and trauma-focused work depending on what a person needs. Sessions focus on understanding patterns, building coping skills and testing small changes in everyday life.

Many people come to Sophie for pregnancy and childbirth related concerns such as prenatal anxiety or postpartum depression, or for eating and body-image problems that affect daily wellbeing. She aims to tailor a plan around each person’s priorities and routines rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Sophie keeps language simple during sessions and works step by step. She helps people understand what is keeping their problems going and then build practical strategies to feel steadier and more able to manage day to day.

Approaches that translate to online therapy

Client-centred therapy puts the person’s priorities first and focuses on listening, reflection and practical planning. It helps when someone needs a collaborative space to make sense of how their feelings affect daily life. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings and behaviours and teaches clear techniques to change unhelpful patterns; it is often used for anxiety, panic and mood problems. Trauma-focused therapy helps people process distressing memories and reduce their emotional impact through structured, paced methods suited to someone recovering from past harm.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Sophie will talk with each person about their goals, current challenges and what methods feel comfortable. Together they decide which combination of approaches to try and how to pace the work so it fits the person’s needs.

Session formats are not specified in the provided biography, so confirm current session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives by reducing travel time, allowing a shorter check-in where needed, or letting someone join from a quieter space. Approaches like CBT and skills-based DBT adapt well to remote work because they use clear exercises and homework that can be reviewed between meetings.